Packaging means for small resistor units



5 1941- w. s. FREEBURG v 2,251,609

PACKAGING MEANS FOR SMALL RESISTOR UNITS Original Filed July 18, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

We! T51" ifraaburg V Aug.5, 1941. W.'S.FREEBURG 5 ed July 18, 1956 dad/144210 Z M EZTEF 5.FTE'EbLZFI57 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 PACKAGING MEANSFOR SMALL RESISTOR UNITS Walter S. Freeburg, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor toAllen-Bradley Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinOriginal application July 18, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application December 11, 1939, Serial N0. 308,635

6 Claims.

This invention relates to packaging means and containers for handlinglarge quantities of fixed resistor units and other small articles oflike nature; and is a division of the copending application, Serial No.91,313, filed July 18, 1936 which has matured into Patent No. 2,214,230,dated Sept. 10, 1940.

Fixed resistor units, particularly the type employed in modern radioreceivers, are comparatively small, some of them being but threeeighthsof an inch long and one-eighth of an inch in diameter, with one andone-half inch wire leads.

The handling of units as small as this in the large quantitiesnecessitated by present manufacturing methods introduces seriousproblems. In a radio receiver several resistance units of the samephysical characteristics, but of different resistance values, may berequired, and as the resistance value of the unit is usually indicatedby a code marking on the body of the unit, the need for some practicalmanner of expediting the handling of the units in large quantitiesbecomes apparent.

It is particularly difficult to pick up individual units in rapid orderas is necessary in production methods of manufacture; and if the unitsare but haphazardly handled in bulk, their wire leads are apt to becomebent which further prevents eflicient handling of the units in theassembly of radio receivers.

With a view toward overcoming the disadvantages of haphazard handling ofresistor units, this invention has, as an object, the provision of meanswhereby large numbers of such small resistor units may be handled inorderly fashion and without danger of having their lead wires bent.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for holding theunits in definite rows in such a manner that their code markings are atall times visible, and so that removal of individual units isfacilitated.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for groupingdefinite numbers of resistor units or similar articles which means is sodesigned that a plurality of such groups may be readily packaged forbulk handling.

With the above and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds.

this invention resides in the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and moreparticularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood thatsuch changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed inventionmay be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the bestmodes so far devised for the practical application of the principlesthereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a resistor unit package illustratingone embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of theinvention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing another manner of packaging theresistor units; I

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing another manner of grouping theresistor units;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a container for a number of groups ofunits having means allowing for visually ascertaining the number ofgroups in the container when the cover is removed; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating another manner of packaginga plurality of holders.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which likenumerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a resistor unitof the 'type to which this invention is directed. It comprises a body 6having code markings painted or otherwise delineated thereon and wireleads 1 extending axially from the ends thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, a pluralityof these units is held in a neat row by'means of a holder designatedgenerally by the numeral 8. This holder comprises two flat walledpockets 9 held in definite relationship with their open edges facingeach other and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the lengthof the resistor bodies.

The two pockets are alike and are formed of two flat sheets of cardboardll] of a width substantially equal to the length of the lead wires andof a length determined by the number of units intended to be grouped.These two sheets of cardboard are held in superimposed relationshipspaced apart just sufiicie'ntly to receive the lead wires therebetween,by edging strips ll glued over the longitudinal edges of the pockets andsimilar edging strips [2 glued over the ends of the pockets. The stripsl2 also serve to join the two pockets and hold them properly assembled.

Obviously, in assembling the package, the resistor units are firstinserted in one of the pockets and then the other pocket is applied overthe exposed lead Wires. Thereafter, the edging strips I2 are glued inplace and the two pockets are held against separation. In the finalassembly, the bodies of the units are visible from both sides of theholder.

In Figure 2, a construction similar to that shown in Figure 1 isillustrated. In this embodiment there are, however, no definite pockets,but merely a single flat sheet of cardboard I3 provided with a centrallongitudinal opening l4, the width of which is slightly greater than thelength of the units. The units are laid on one face of the card withtheir bodies arranged in a row in the opening [4 and their lead wiresextending out over the surface of the card. While the units are held inthis position on the card, a sheet of transparent material I5 of anysuitable type, preferably the cellulose product Cellophane, is wrappedor applied about the entire assemblage to hold the units in place on thecard without concealing them from view.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 may bepackaged in any suitable box, or they may be merely wrapped into packetscontaining a definite number of groups of units; or box-like containersshown in Figures 5 and 6 may be provided.

The container shown in Figure 5 consists of a box lfi and its cover ll.The holders are placed flatwise in the box and to permit visualindication of the number of holders in the box when its cover isremoved, one side wall of the box has a window or sight opening l8formed therein through which the number of superimposed holders isreadily visible.

In the box shown in Figure 6, the retainers or carriers are positionededgewise in the body [9 of the box, the height of which is less than thewidth of the holders so that when the cover 20 is removed, the number ofgroups of units in the box is at once apparent.

In Figures 3 and 4, two additional methods of grouping the units areillustrated. In Figure 3, the units have strips of paper 2| woven orinterlaced through their lead wires. Preferably, there are two suchstrips of paper at each end of the resistor bodies and the ends of thesestrips are connected as at 22. In Figure 4, the individual units areheld in a group by weaving or lacing threads or cords 23 through therows-of lead wires and joining the ends of the threads or cords as at24.

The groups of units held-together in the manner shown in Figures 3 and4, may be rolled up into bundles to facilitate the packaging thereof orthey may be left flat and placed in containers, such as shown in Figure5.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthis invention provides novel and simple means for facilitating thehandling of large numbers of small resistor units and like articles forsale and use.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A resistance unit package comprising: a plurality of small resistanceunits all having like code marked bodies and wire leads projecting fromthe ends thereof; two parallel spaced holder members; means connectingsaid members at their ends and holding them spaced apart slightly morethan the length of the units, said units being arranged in a row withtheir bodies side by side and extending across the space between saidholder members with the holder members engaging the wire leads of theunits; and means also engaging the wire leads and holding the unitsassembled with the holder members.

2. A resistance unit package comprising: a plurality of small resistanceunits all having like code marked bodies and wire leads projectingtherefrom; a card having an elongated parallel edged opening ofsubstantially the same width as the length of the resistor bodies andadapted to receive the resistor bodies in side by side relation with thewire leads thereof extending out over the surface of the card and thebodies extending across the width of the opening so that their codemarkings are clearly visible on both sides of the card; and means forholding the resistance units in position on the card.

3. A retainer for a plurality of resistor units all having like bodiesand lead wires projecting therefrom, which comprises: a card having anelongated parallel edged opening having substantially the same width asthe length of a resistor body and adapted to receive said resistorbodies in side by side relation, the wire leads thereof lying flat onthe surface of the card and the bodies with code markings thereonprojecting through the opening to be visible on both sides of the card;and transparent means held to the card and extending over the units tohold the same on the card.

4. A resistance unit package comprising: a plurality of small resistanceunits all having like code marked bodies and wire leads projectinglongitudinally from the ends thereof; two edgewise spaced cardboardpanels; means connecting said panels and holding them with theiradjacent edges substantially parallel and spaced apart slightly morethan the length of the resistor bodies, the resistance units beingarranged in a row with their bodies side by side in the space betweenthe panels and with their wire leads extending out over one surface ofthe panels so that their code markingsare clearly visible from eitherside of the assembly; and means engaging the wire leads of theresistance units for holding them in position on said connected panels.

5. A resistance unit package comprising: a plurality of small resistanceunits all having like code marked bodies and wire leads projectinglongitudinally from the ends thereof; two edgewise spaced fiat pockets,each composed of superimposed panels of substantially stiff material;means connecting .said pockets and holding them with their open edgesparallel and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length ofthe resistor bodies; and said resistance units being arranged in a rowwith their bodies side by side and spanning the distance between theopen edges of the pockets and with their wire leads received in thepockets so that the leads are protected while the code markings on thebodies are visible from both sides of the package.

6. A resistance unit package comprising: a plurality of smallresistorunits all having like code marked bodies and wireleadsprojecting'longitudinally from the ends thereof; a pair of flexibleholding elements oppositely interwoven with the wire leads at each endof the resistor units; and means connecting the ends of all of saidflexible holding elements.

WALTER S. FREEBURG.

